David Vonderhaar was the face of Treyarch’s Call of Duty games for 18 years (World at War / Black Ops). He has now left Activision, and the community bids a heartfelt farewell. MeinMMO gathers some reactions.
Who is David Vonderhaar? Vonderhaar was a senior developer at Treyarch Games and spent over 18 years at the developer studio. According to his own statements, he worked on every “Call of Duty” game that Treyarch has been involved with over the years – often as a lead developer.
Through his closeness to the community, he became popular over the years. Vonderhaar almost took on the duties of a community manager and was able to win over many players. Sometimes even against the will of his company.
Vonderhaar was seen as a beacon of hope for many long-time CoD fans, as established fans often yearn for the game feel of the early “Black Ops” games for which the developer was responsible. He was regarded as the counterpart to Joe Cecot from the “Modern Warfare” studio Infinity Ward.
The departure of Vonderhaar is now causing many reactions: People wish him all the best for the future.
Vonderhaar leaves Treyarch, moves to new project
What does Vonderhaar say about his departure from Treyarch? On LinkedIn, the developer has written a few lines about his farewell:
I want to share with you all today that I have left Activision and Treyarch after an incredible 18 years and 8 “Call of Duty” games.
I am very grateful to my colleagues at Treyarch for the time we invested in improving our craft, never resting on our successes and always asking how we can improve what we design and how we produce it.
Thank you very much to the “Call of Duty” community for their passion and enthusiasm. This energy has often reinforced our determination as a studio and as individuals. I will always be grateful for the opportunity to interact directly online and in person with so many of you. This energy will always be a big part of me.
I will remain in the gaming industry and work on an unknown project that I cannot talk about yet. But I am excited about a rare and unique opportunity. I will inform you as soon as possible.
David Vonderhaar on linkedin.com
There is currently no information on the specific reasons for his departure or if Vonderhaar simply wants to focus on new projects after 18 years.
How do fans react? Whether on LinkedIn, Twitter / X, or Reddit – thousands of players wish the former CoD developer much success in his upcoming projects and share the impact “his” CoD games had.
On LinkedIn, Ahmad Mostafa Said writes: “Your departure from Treyarch marks the end of an era that has profoundly influenced the gaming community. Your dedication, your creative genius, and the unforgettable “Black Ops” series have left an incredible legacy.”
On Twitter, the tone may not be quite so formal, but some things can be much better expressed in memes:
Among the commentators are also many well-known content creators from the CoD scene. For instance, shooter YouTuber “Espresso” writes: Thank you for helping create so many great memories for this community over the years. I wish you all the best for the future, man!
(via twitter.com). “dkdynamite” also writes: “Thanks for all the memories”.
Especially on Twitter, the former lead developer is receiving a lot of love from his fans. The farewell tweet has nearly 1,800 comments thanking him and wishing him good luck for the future (via twitter.com).
Treyarch is likely releasing its next “Call of Duty” title in 2024. We will have to wait and see how Vonderhaar’s departure will impact the strategy of the “Black Ops” series.
This year, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is first on the agenda, and thus a direct continuation of the CoD from 2022. The new CoD goes full nostalgia with 16 remastered maps at release.
